Assessing Sociocultural Factors in Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services

Project Summary:
The purpose of this grant is to adapt and pilot test a new intervention to enhance provider assessment and response to sociocultural issues in the routine provision of psychosocial rehabilitation services.

Project Description:
Sociocultural issues play a large role in determining satisfaction and quality of life for consumers, especially for ethnic minority consumers. The overall goal of the study is to give providers a more effective way to assess sociocultural issues across diverse consumer populations in psychosocial rehabilitation services. Qualitative and quantitative techniques will be used to collect and analyze data to further develop a sociocultural assessment tool and develop and pilot test an intervention to train providers in using the tool in routine practice. The project's aim is to: (1) generate practical information that can be used to adapt effective interventions across diverse cultural groups and (2) support the development of culturally tailored interventions.

Given that this approach will elicit and value input from consumers and providers, investigators believe the study will advance the field by enhancing the cultural relevance of services and ultimately reducing disparities in treatment outcomes for persons with severe and persistent mental illness.

Project Investigator(s):
Ann Marie Yamada

Research Period: 09/01/07 - 05/31/10

Funding Source: National Institute of Mental Health

Total Award Amount: $ 658,251

Key Personnel: Ann Marie Yamada (PI); John Brekke (Co-PI); Lawrence Palinkas (Investigator); Kyeung Hae Lee (Project Manager)

Collaborators: Laura Pancake, research liaison, Portals; Joseph Betancourt, Consultant, Harvard Medical School; Joseph Ventura, consultant, UCLA